


Mess Around You

by givebackmylifecas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, College Student Castiel, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Professor Dean Winchester, Romantic Fluff, Sick Castiel, Sickfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 23:58:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15983255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/givebackmylifecas/pseuds/givebackmylifecas
Summary: Cas is sick, but he really needs to go to his college class. Dean is his professor and thinks Cas is just another student who turned up drunk to his class. Shenanigans and fluff ensue!





	Mess Around You

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warnings for mild swearing, the flu, teacher/student (all overage and consenting and just kissing), references to homophobic and child abuse

When he wakes up the first thing Cas notices is that breathing has suddenly become much harder over night and he has the mother of all headaches. It can mean only one thing: he’s sick. He groans into his pillow and across the room he hears his roommate laugh.

“You okay, man?”, Gabriel asks and Cas groans again, dragging himself out of bed and into the bathroom. He has a tutorial in half an hour and he feels like death warmed up, but there’s no way he can miss it, it’s the last one, he doesn’t have any absences left for this semester and the professor is a hard ass.

He stumbles back into the room and to the wardrobe and starts to get dressed. “Woah man, what the hell? You look like shit, where are you going?”, Gabriel asks looking shocked as he pulls on his own shoes.

“Have to go to this tutorial, it’s the last one, he’ll kill me otherwise.”, Cas croaks and swallows half a bottle of cough syrup as Gabriel raises his eyebrows.

“Who is? The professor? Who do you have?”

Cas shrugs into a jacket and staggers to the door on shaky legs. “Winchester”, he says, wincing at the stinging in his throat.

Gabriel laughs. “Oh man, you really have to go then, don’t you? How can someone so hot be so grumpy?”

Cas offers him a halfhearted shrug and then heads out of the door. He feels so faint that he has to actually lean against the elevator wall as it takes him to the lobby of the dorm complex and even when he gets outside into the fresh morning air, he feels like he’s slowly roasting to death.

As he walks across campus he has to stop twice to sit down and each time he gets up again he feels like he’s about to black out.

He finally makes it to the tutorial room and collapses into his seat with his head spinning. Everyone else is already there and Professor Winchester throws him a disapproving look.

“Nice of you to join us, Mr Novak.”, he says caustically, but Cas can’t quite bring himself to answer – he’s not sure he can – so he just forces an apologetic smile and pulls out his textbook.

Winchester starts asking questions and as other students around the room answer, Cas just does his best not to faint. He feels dizzy and nauseous and he is very aware that he must look disgusting since he’s sweating buckets. He can’t concentrate on anything professor Winchester is saying, not that that’s unusual for him. Gabriel is right, Winchester _is_ hot and Cas would be lying if he said he didn’t have a massive crush on his Professor, but that’s not important because right now Winchester is staring right at him, looking as if he’s waiting for Cas to say something, but he has no idea what.

“Huh?”, he asks intelligently and the other students laugh as Winchester glares.

The professor sighs and Cas wants to sink into the ground as he fixes him with his “I’m both angry _and_ disappointed” stare.

“Mr. Novak, I asked you a question.”, Winchester says and Cas is sure he’d be blushing right now, if he weren’t so sick. “Fine, I’ll repeat myself. We were discussing the many references in T. S. Eliot’s _The Waste Land,_ can you tell me what the German passage in ‘The Burial of the Dead’ was referring to?” He has those stunningly beautiful green eyes fixed on Cas and Cas knows the answer, he does – it’s just that his brain is mush and he can’t form full sentences.

He’s so warm, and his eyes are having trouble focussing – Professor Winchester is just a handsome blur. In the end, “Opera.” is all he manages to slur.

Winchester sighs. “I suppose in a way you’re right, that passage is from Wagner’s opera ‘Tristan und Isolde’, however since you are clearly in no state to listen or participate I’m going to have to ask you to leave my class.” Some of the students laugh, but most of the others watch silently.

Cas shakes his head, tries to protest. He’s so very tired and he can feel tears pressing at his eyes. This is one of his most important classes. He can’t afford to be kicked out of the tutorial, it could affect his grade and he _needs_ to have straight A’s to keep his scholarship. Winchester gives him a pitying look. “I appreciate your effort in coming to class, but I would appreciate it more if you didn’t turn up still drunk from the night before. Now, I’m not going to ask again, please leave.”

“M’not drunk.”, Cas murmurs, as he grabs his stuff and stumbles his way out of the classroom.

Professor Winchester shuts the door behind him and Cas is left alone in the hallway. He makes it around the first corner before his legs give out beneath him and he collapses onto the floor. The world is spinning around him and the floor is pitching wildly. He presses his back against the wall and leans his head back with his eyes closed in an attempt to ground himself.

He doesn’t fall asleep exactly, but he must lose time somewhere, because before he knows it the hallway is full of students. They pay him no mind – like Winchester they probably think he’s just another hungover student trying to make it to class – so Cas covers his ears with his hands in attempt to drown out their noise and buries his aching head between his knees.

The noise dies down eventually and Cas is left alone again. Just as he is considering calling Gabriel to come and get him, because otherwise he might never leave, he hears footsteps coming down the hall. Just as the person approaches him, he sneezes violently and groans self pityingly.

“Novak?”, a voice asks and he grunts in response. He looks up and finds himself staring right into Professor Winchester’s eyes. The man is crouching in front of him, an unreadable expression on his handsome face.

Oh god, Cas thinks. He is going to have to get out of here. He’s sure there’s no rule against sitting in a hallway, but he doesn’t need Winchester any angrier at him than he already is, so he starts to shuffle away, bracing himself against the wall to try and get to his feet. He’s rather unsuccessful and starts sliding back down to the floor until suddenly there’s an arm around his shoulders and Professor Winchester is hauling him to his feet. He lets go of him, when Cas is standing up and he may be sick, but he’s fairly sure Winchester is blushing. Cas sways a little as he tries to focus on what Winchester is saying.

“…not drunk then.”, the professor is saying. “So what’s wrong?”

“Sick.”, Cas says as haughtily as he can with a hoarse voice and a stuffed nose. He slumps a little to one side and Winchester’s hand shoots out to steady him.

“Jesus, yeah, I can see that. I’m sorry about earlier, I honestly though you were just another student who was out partying the night before.”, he says and Cas violently shakes his head, which he instantly regrets – shooting pain in his head is one thing he really doesn’t need on top of everything else. “No, I know. I shouldn’t have just assumed – especially with you.”

Cas frowns. “With me?”

Winchester offers him a smile. “Yeah, I mean you are my best student. Well – I suppose you were. Your essays have been graded and that was the last tutorial so I guess you’re not my student anymore… so um, you can call me Dean now if you want.” He blushes again and Cas smiles and then sneezes again. “Jesus.”, Dean says. “We should um, we should get you to bed – um not mine of course, your bed. Um… yeah, well you know what I mean, right?”

Cas nods, a little confused but then Dean’s arm is around his waist and he’s helping him down the hallway and out into the faculty parking lot.

Dean unlocks a huge black car and motions for Cas to get in. Cas is still confused, but follows Dean’s instruction. Once in the car, Cas feels like his temperature has gone up by a hundred degrees, so he takes off his jacket and then strips off his hoodie too. He sighs in relief and then hears Dean cough from beside him. “Um… Castiel?”

“Yeah?”, he croaks. Dean is blushing profusely and Cas idly wonders how much of the professor’s body is covered in that gorgeous red colour.

Dean coughs again and the says: “You realise you’re not wearing a shirt, right?”

Cas looks down and sees that he did in fact, forget to put on a shirt underneath his hoodie. He groans in embarrassment and pulls his jumper back on. “I’m so sorry.”, he says, his voice coming out just above a whisper.

“It’s fine, you’re really sick.”, Dean says and Cas nods miserably. “But um…”,Dean continues and Cas looks up to see the professor staring straight ahead, still blushing. “You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about… if that was worrying you. You’re very um, built.”

Cas can’t help the smile that creeps onto his face as Dean starts the car and asks: “So where are you staying?”

Cas tells him which dorm complex he’s in and Dean pulls out of the car park.

They sit in silence as Cas regrets every single one of the decisions he’s made that led to him basically stripping in his hot professor’s car.

“Cas, can I ask you something?”, Dean asks and Cas frowns at the nickname, but nods. “Why did you come to class today, if you’re this sick?”

Cas sighs, leaning back into the seat. “I’m here on a scholarship Dean and I’ve been sick a lot this semester. I don’t have any more absences and I can’t afford to get a bad grade for not showing up.”

“You wouldn’t have gotten a bad grade for that, Cas. You could’ve just sent me an email.”, Dean says frowning.

“I really, really need this scholarship Dean, I need to be here. Most professors would have marked me down and you…. You’re kind of strict.”, Cas trails off quietly and Dean laughs.

“Yeah, I guess I am. For real though, next time just email me.”

Cas huffs a tiny laugh too, ignoring the pain in his throat. “No more next time. You’re not my teacher anymore, right?”

Dean nods. “Yeah, you’re right. Can I – is it okay if I ask why you need the scholarship so badly?”

“I um…”, Cas begins hesitantly and Dean fidgets nervously.

“It’s fine you don’t have to tell me.”

Cas shakes his head. “No, it’s alright. My um… my parents kicked me out last year and the only way I can continue going to college is with this scholarship – it’s why I stay in the cheapest dorms.”, he says, gesturing at the ugly concrete building Dean has just pulled up in front of.

Dean puts a hand on Cas’ knee, just for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

Cas nods and then blurts: “It was because I’m gay. Um… that’s why they kicked me out.”

Dean is silent for a moment, then says: “We should get you to your room.”

Cas swallows hard and nods. He shouldn’t have said that, he’s clearly made Dean uncomfortable and now the other man probably regrets even helping him.

They get out of the car and Dean follows Cas into the building and then the elevator, carrying his bag for him. Cas leans against the mirrored wall in the elevator, suddenly feeling his illness twice as intensely as he had when he was in the car with Dean. Dean, who looks at at him with concern, but doesn’t offer him his arm again. And yet, the professor follows him out of the lift and then helps him unlock the door to his dorm room when Cas drops the keys.

Gabriel isn’t there – off at his own classes – and thankfully hasn’t left much more of a mess than an empty pop tart box and a pile of wrappers on his own bed.

“Jesus, it’s freezing in here!”, Dean exclaims, looking around the tiny room.

Cas shrugs, kicking off his shoes. “Heating’s broken, probably how I got sick in the first place.”

Dean glares at nothing in particular. “You should complain.”

Cas manages a bitter laugh as he searches for his warmest socks. “Oh, we have. They just send an email saying that someone will be over to fix it soon and then no one ever comes.”

Dean lets out a noise that is something akin to a growl and Cas raises his eyebrows in surprise as he grabs his pyjamas. “Well I suppose uh… I should let you get some rest. Do you have medicine and stuff?”, Dean asks awkwardly and Cas thinks in despair of the cough syrup he had finished only that morning.

But that’s not Dean’s problem so he just says: “Yeah, thanks.”

Something must have shown on his face, because Dean narrows his eyes and then says: “You don’t, do you?” Cas shrugs awkwardly and the professor sighs. “Okay you know what, you get changed and into bed and I’ll go get you some NyQuil or something.”

Cas shakes his head. “No you don’t have to do that, honestly I’ll just get my roommate to go when he’s back.”

“When will he be back?”

Cas glances at his alarm clock which is telling him it’s nearly half past 11 and sighs. “Not for about six hours, he’s got work right after his classes.”

“Then that’s that. I’ll go get you some meds and you get into bed.”, Dean says pointing rather bossily at the bed in a way that makes Cas’ already confused body flush with heat.

Dean is already halfway out the door when it occurs to Cas that he shouldn’t let him go without a protest. “You really don’t have to do this, you know.”, he says weakly, sinking onto his bed.

The professor just rolls his eyes and mutters something under his breath. Cas cant be sure, but it sounded a lot like: “Anything for my cutest student.” But that can’t have been what he said, right?

He starts to notice the chill in the room now that Dean is gone so he changes as quickly as he can into his pyjamas and climbs into bed. He’s so desperately tired that minute he rests his head on the pillow he falls into an uneasy sleep with strange fever dreams that leave him confused as to whether he’s actually awake or not.

There’s someone gently stroking his head, but Gabriel would never do that – he’d be more likely to shave his head – so it must be in Cas’ dream. He sighs softly, leaning into the touch and rolls over, only to find his face pressed to a denim clad thigh. That’s weird, dreams aren’t usually that realistic. He shuffles back a little, blinking his eyes open. Oh. Definitely not a dream. Dean is sitting on the bed, hand still in Cas’ hair looking like he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Dean?”, Cas asks, still a little muddled.

The professor gives him a little smile, pulling his hand back and Cas instantly missed the touch. “I um.. I brought you your medicine and some uh… soup, there’s a deli next to the pharmacy.” Cas sits up and sees a little paper bag and a takeaway container sitting on his desk.

He shakes his head, instantly giving himself another headache and looks at Dean. “Thank you so much, but you really, really didn’t need to do all this for me.”, he says and the professor shrugs.

“I kind of did, I was a massive dick to you earlier.”

Cas shakes his head. “That’s why you did all this? I’m not pissed, I would have thought I was drunk too. But if you’re just doing this out of guilt or… or pity for the gay kid whose parents don’t love him then maybe you should go.”

Whatever he is expecting Dean to say, it’s not what he ends up saying, which is: “My dad beat me up when he found out I was bi.”

Cas blinks at him, a little stunned as Dean looks down at his lap. He isn’t sure what to say so he carefully covers Dean’s hand with his own slightly clammy hand. “I’m sorry.”, he says quietly.

Dean squeezes his hand. “It’s okay, it was a long time ago. I just… I just needed you to know that I don’t pity you. I uh, I know how you must feel.”

“I don’t think you do.”, Cas says without thinking and Dean looks a little hurt, but he doesn’t let go of Cas’ hand and then his green eyes are widening a little in shock as Cas leans in and presses a soft kiss to his lips.

Cas pulls back and tries to gage Dean’s reaction. The professor looks a little stunned as he raises his free hand to carefully touch his lips. “Is… was that how you feel?”, he asks quietly and Cas nods, his stomach tying itself into knots. Dean nods a little – almost to himself – and then he’s letting go of Cas’ hand and wrapping his arms around him, pulling him in for another kiss. This one is just as soft, just as gentle, but lasts longer and before Cas knows it, his head is spinning and Dean is pulling away to give him a worried look.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. You’re sick and –“, he begins, but Cas interrupts him.

“Dean, I kissed you first, you know that right?”, he asks and Dean huffs a laugh.

He shakes his head a little. “I suppose it’s a good thing that as of today, I’m no longer your teacher.”

“Very good.”, Cas says, smiling. “You were very distracting in class.”

Dean looks a little outraged. “I was distracting? How was I supposed to concentrate with you always wearing those cute jumpers and ruffling your hair? I’ve been trying not to stare at you since you first walked in, and then you always has such smart answers and were actually paying attention – unlike the rest of your peers. You’re stupidly hot, Cas.”

Cas laughs, but it quickly devolves into a coughing fit and Dean jumps off the bed and grabs him a glass of water. “Thanks.”, Cas wheezes, when he can breathe again and Dean shoves a handful of pills under his nose.

“Take these.”, he orders and Cas feels that warmth in his stomach again at the instruction. He does as he’s told and swallows all the pills and then lets Dean hand him the soup which he eats under his watchful eye. When he yawns for the third time in a row, Dean takes the takeaway container off him and Cas slides further under his covers, struggling a little to keep his eyes open.

Dean gently strokes his head, pushing his sweaty hair back from his face. “You should get some sleep.”

Cas shakes his head. “You’ll leave if I do.” The other man smiles softly at him, then nudges his shoulder until he shuffles over a little. Dean kicks off his shoes and slides into bed with him. “What are you doing?”, Cas asks as Dean wraps his arms around him and oh, he’s so warm that Cas can’t help but curl up into his heat.

“Making sure you get some rest.”, Dean murmurs into his hair. “Now shuddup and sleep.”

Cas wiggles a little so he’s lying more securely in Dean’s arms and then closes his eyes contentedly. He isn’t sure how long he sleeps, but it’s starting to get dark outside when he wakes up to Gabriel yelling “Holy Fuck!”. He bolts upright and sees Dean blinking sleepily beside him, confused at all the commotion as Gabriel stares at them.

“Gabe.”, Cas says hoarsely and his roommate raises his eyebrows.

“Hey Cassie… Professor Winchester.”, Gabriel says, a slow smirk spreading across his face.

Dean clears his throat, awkwardly disentangling himself from Cas. “Hello Gabriel.”

Gabriel grins even wider. “Well Cassie, if I’d known all it takes to seduce a professor is to cough and sniff a lot, I’d have started dating Professor Barnes a long time ago.”

“I didn’t seduce him.”, Cas says at the same time as Dean says: “I should go.”

Gabriel waves a hand dismissively. “Don’t leave on my account, I’d already planned to spend the night elsewhere on account of Cassie here being a germ infested flu magnet – not that that seems to bother you – I just forgot my wallet.” He grabs said wallet from his desk and then slowly walks to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow Cassie.”, he says, then throws Dean an evil looking smirk. “Professor.”, he shoots, before leaving, slamming the door loudly behind him.

Dean groans, burying his face in his hands. “Oh my god.”

“Hey, it’s okay. He’s a pest, but he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me – he won’t tell anyone about us.”, Cas says, gently rubbing Dean’s back.

Dean sighs. “It’s not just that. You’re my student Cas. And I’m older than you. Much older.”

Cas withdraws his hand, suddenly very insecure. “I’m 21.”, he says quietly.

“That makes me ten years older than you!”, Dean groans.

There’s a sick feeling in Cas’ stomach. “I don’t mind the age gap. But I understand if… if this was just an – I don’t know – exciting fantasy for you.” He’s unconsciously moved away from Dean and he can’t quite bring himself to look at the other man.

But then Dean’s hands are cupping his jaw, tipping his face up so he’s looking at him. “Hey, no, Cas. I really, really like you. Do you think I’d be risking getting the flu in a freezing dorm room, if I were just trying to get in your pants?”

Cas shrugs. He doesn’t know what Dean wants from him – he’s right, he is older and so handsome that he could have anyone – so why is he with Cas? He almost asks him outright, but then Dean’s mouth is pressing to his neck, leaving careful kisses as he works his way up Cas’ throat and along his jaw. He finally reaches Cas’ lips and this time when they kiss, it feels like Dean is trying to show him how he feels. He gasps, opening up, letting Dean push his tongue into his mouth and pull him even closer.

“I really like you too.”, he says breathlessly, when they finally break apart.

Dean smiles and it lights up his whole face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”, he says and then kind of ruins the moment by sneezing. Dean laughs and tugs at him until he lies down, once again wrapped in Dean’s arms.

“Once you’re better, we’ll go on a real date, okay?”, the professor says quietly.

Cas smiles into Dean’s collarbone. “I would like that.”

Dean presses a kiss to his hair and Cas lets himself drift off to sleep. Who knew being sick could be so good for you?

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys liked this! I know I'm supposed to be working on How The Light Gets In, but this wanted to come out! Hopefully I'll get HTLGI updated this weekend!
> 
> Drop me a comment/Kudos if you liked/hated/were mildly offended by this, or say hi on tumblr (@hefellfordean)


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